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FATIGUE AND OVER SPEEDING BLAMED FOR KANO ATHLETES’ FATAL CRASH

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has attributed the fatal crash involving athletes of Kano State on their way to the National Sports Festival to the combined effects of fatigue and over speeding. The accident occurred on Saturday at Gadar Yankifii on the Kano/Kaduna highway, claiming the lives of 21 persons, all males. According to the FRSC spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, the Coaster bus with number plate KN 041 A17 veered off the road due to driver fatigue and over speeding. The bus had 24 occupants, comprising 23 males and a female, who survived with two males. All survivors are undergoing treatment at a hospital. The dead include journalists, wrestlers, kickboxers, two drivers, medical doctors, referees, and the image maker of the Kano State Sports Commission. One of the victims was identified as Imam Umar Fagge, a football referee and junior brother of Umar Fagge, the Acting Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission. President Bola Tinubu has described the accident as a “devastating blow to the nation” that casts a dark shadow on the National Sports Festival. “It casts a shadow over the National Sports Festival, a celebration of unity, talent, and excellence,” the President said in a statement. He added that the festival has long served as a platform for discovering and nurturing athletes who bring pride to Nigeria on both national and international stages.

PRESIDENT TINUBU MOURNS VICTIMS OF KANO ACCIDENT, NIGER FLOODING TRAGEDY

President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic accident involving members of the Kano State contingent who were returning from the National Sports Festival in Ogun State. In a statement, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga said the President extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Kano State, as well as to the families and loved ones of those who died in the accident. Bayo Onanuga said, “This is a devastating blow to the nation. It casts a shadow over the National Sports Festival, a celebration of unity, talent, and excellence. It has long served as a platform for discovering and nurturing athletes who bring pride to Nigeria on both national and international stages,” as quoted from President Tinubu. Onanuga further stated that the President affirmed that the greatest honour the country can accord the victims is to take concrete steps to prevent such tragedies in the future and improve safety standards across the nation’s transportation systems. The President prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the departed and asked God Almighty to grant strength and comfort to the bereaved families. “We will continue to coordinate with the Niger State Government to ensure a swift, coordinated, and compassionate response—one that prioritises lives, restores dignity and accelerates recovery,” the President said in a separate statement regarding the Niger State flooding tragedy. Onanuga said President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the severe flooding in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, which has led to the loss of lives and the displacement of numerous families. The President directed the immediate activation of the National Emergency Response Centre and has since been fully briefed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the scale of the disaster and the urgent humanitarian needs. Search-and-rescue operations are underway, and all relevant federal agencies have been mobilised to support the Niger State Government’s response. Relief materials and temporary shelters are being deployed without delay. “I assure all those impacted that our government stands with you,” the President said. Bayo Onanuga added that the President directed security agencies to assist in emergency operations and mandated that NEMA and the National Emergency Response Centre provide continuous coordination and updates.